Exodus Chapter 5

Pharaoh rebukes Moses and Aaron

5:1 AND afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, This says the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.
5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who [is] the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go ? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
5:3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews have met with us let us go, we pray ya’ll , three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice to the LORD our God ; unless he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
5:4 And the king of Egypt said to them, Wherefore do you, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works ? get you to your burdens.

Israel’s tasks increased

5:5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now [are] many, and you make them rest from their burdens.
5:6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
5:7 You shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore let them go and gather straw for themselves.
5:8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, you shall lay upon them; you shall not diminish [ought] thereof for they [be] idle ; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go [and] sacrifice to our God.
5:9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard vain words.
5:10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, This says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
5:11 Go you, get you straw where you can find it yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.
5:12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
5:13 And the taskmasters hasted [them], saying, Fulfil your works, [your] daily tasks, as when there was straw.
5:14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, [and] demanded, Wherefore have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore ?
5:15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore deal you thus with your servants ?
5:16 There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, Make brick and, behold, your servants [are] beaten ; but the fault [is] in your own people.
5:17 But he said, You [are] idle, [you are] idle therefore you say, Let us go [and] do sacrifice to the LORD.
5:18 Go therefore now, [and] work ; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall you deliver the tale of bricks.
5:19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see [that] they [were] in evil [case], after it was said, You shall not minish [ought] from your bricks of your daily task.

Murmurings against Moses and Aaron

5:20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh
5:21 And they said to them, The LORD look upon you, and judge ; because You have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.
5:22 And Moses returned to the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore have you [so] evil entreated this people ? why [is] it [that] you have sent me?
5:23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people ; neither have you delivered your people at all.